Monton Green

Designation date:	1979
Area:	4.17 ha (10.32 acres)
Listed buildings :	3

Background information

The Conservation Area contains Monton Green; the Unitarian Church and a former school with caretaker’s house; a lodge, built in 1875 to the Earl of Ellesmere’s former estate, and a club-house with bowling green.

Monton Green

The Green, once used as common land, is now formally laid out as gardens and lawns. In 1895 the use of Monton Green was conveyed to Eccles Corporation with the condition that the Corporation “would not permit or suffer the land to be used in a manner that public worship or religious instruction in Monton Church or the Sunday School attached to it should be in any way restricted, disturbed or interfered with”.

In addition, Eccles Corporation was bound to maintain the roads around and across the Green, which were dedicated to public use to remain forever thereafter open.

The character of the open area is defined by the group of high quality buildings referred to earlier, that are complemented by the mature trees on the Green.

Monton Church

The Unitarian Church, built between 1873 and 1875, replaced Monton Chapel, built in 1697. The tower and steeple are separate from the main body of the church as they were an afterthought and not part of the original plan. They house the bell from the original chapel. Despite being offered a peal of new bells, it was considered more appropriate to retain the old bell and thus the link to the chapel; and its worshipers. The church was listed Grade II* on 19 July 1979

The Lychgate

The Lychgate was erected in 1895 in memory of Henry Leigh. It was given a Grade II Listed status on 16 July 1987.

The church schools

An infant school was opened in 1848 and the principles on which it was managed led to it taking a high place amongst local educational institutions, especially after it became a school for infants plus older children.

The present Memorial Schools were built circa 1864 in memory of Mr & Mrs J Booth and of Silas, Lucy and Esther Leigh who had done so much for the children of the church. The Memorial Schools were given Grade II status on 16 July 1987.

Update

The removal of the mineral railway line which crossed the junction of Parrin Lane and Green Lane has improved the visual amenity of the area around The Green.

It has also provided access to the linear walkways that now occupy the course of the mineral line. A recent addition to the area is the construction of another mini-roundabout, provided to cope with the ever-increasing amount of traffic.